


Reboot

by trash_devil



Category: Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
Genre: Gen, I mean God is mentioned but Kazuya kinda already killed Him, but only a little after, goodbye human emotions :V, mouth and teeth gore, post-Naoya's route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 06:04:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15309051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trash_devil/pseuds/trash_devil
Summary: “And should I thank you?” Kazuya replied, rising to his feet. His voice reached a mocking pitch as he crooned, “Oh, dearest Naoya, I’m so happy to be your pawn in your stupid revenge fantasy! Please, how could I ever repay you? Shall I submit? Beg? Grovel? Would you like me to fetch the whip, Master, or would you rather have me collared?”





	Reboot

He felt a stab of regret as the pure white feathers drifted down like bloodied snow to land in his outstretched palm. He had killed something beautiful, something unspeakable, something wholly unique. There would never again be something like that gorgeous, terrible creature he brought down with his teeth and claws and flames. Even the memory of it had the power to take his breath away.

He hated the hard marble of guilt sitting at the pit of his stomach. It was such a pathetic, human emotion. Why should he feel such things? He had killed God! No one stood above him. Pure power ran through his veins and thrummed through his body; he had no need for this uncomfortable reminder of his mortal life.

Kazuya breathed a laugh and shook his head at his own stupidity. He needn’t wallow in this hateful pity. He was greater than God; the Devil bowed before him. It would be child’s play to change his own weak, human heart.

With a sweep of his hand, he began his work. Those last persistent traces of humanity winked out like dying stars.

Overwrite the need for sustenance, for rest, the need for his heart to beat and lungs to breathe. And those more uniquely human necessities, love and companionship and understanding, those too were purged from him. No more weakness, no more guilt, no more anger or sadness or pain. 

And now that he had made himself perfect, the King of Bel spread his wings and took flight into the red red sky.

\---

[ERROR 404: Mind link to COMP disconnected.]

Naoya blinked and rubbed his eyes. He willed the words to vanish like a bad dream, like a sleep-deprived hallucination. He refused to believe this was happening. All the pieces were in place, after millenia of planning and waiting and pure dumb luck finally tossing this chance into his lap—no. He refused. This was not real.

Still the error message did not disappear, no matter how vehemently he denied it. He wanted to smash his computer to pieces, to shriek his wrath and frustration to the heavens because God had cheated him again.

Instead, Naoya took a deep breath and restrained himself. It was fine. He would try again. He had all the time in the world.

“Naoya, you’ll ruin your eyes if you stare at the screen like that.”

He whirled around to face the voice. “Kazuya!?”

“Indeed.”

“I thought that you might’ve…” Naoya trailed off as a sob forced its way into his throat. Such an embarrassing display of emotion.

Kazuya inspected the filth under his fingernails with disinterest. “Clearly you were wrong,” he said calmly.

When he looked up, not even Naoya could be prepared for the coldness of his eyes. Smooth red eyes, glinting with some thought beyond emotion, chips of bloody ice, so wrong in his teenaged face.

Naoya felt a lot less relieved when he met that gaze. He did not like this feeling of crawling uncertainty. “Kazuya, are you alright?”

“Never been better,” Kazuya said. He smiled, showing teeth that were a motley mix of human and demon. Fangs sprouted at awkward angles next to flat molars, too many to fit properly in his mouth. The inside of his mouth was chewed beyond recognition. He pressed his clawlike nails to Naoya’s chin, forcing him to raise his head and look at his mangled jaws. “No ‘Abel’ today? No ‘brother’? Hell, I should’ve done it sooner if that’s all it took to make you see me.”

“Done what?”

Kazuya released him. “You’re smart. I’m sure you can figure it out.” He plopped himself down on the floor and began to work on what teeth he had that were still human, digging his fingers deep into his gums to rip them out by the roots. He did not flinch or even hesitate throughout the whole gruesome process. Blood dripped down his chin.

He glanced up at Naoya. “Don’t you have things to do?” he mumbled around his fingers.

“I… Not… really…” Naoya said slowly. His stomach churned with disgust as Kazuya tore out one tooth after another, but he could not look away.

Kazuya turned his head to spit a glob of blood onto the floor, then returned his gaze to Naoya. His pupils contracted like a cat’s, black needles floating in a sea of red, and his mouth curled into an amused smile. It was rare to see Naoya at such a loss, and he was sure to savor the occasion. “I’m certain you have better things to do than watch me perform some dentistry,” he purred. The tips of his new fangs were already visible, poking up through his torn gums.

This was not part of the plan. Anger flared up on him; he was supposed to be the one in charge, not this brat. “What, should I bow to you?” Naoya snapped. “Without me, you’d still be a worthless, washed-up child!”

“And should I thank you?” Kazuya replied, rising to his feet. His voice reached a mocking pitch as he crooned, “Oh, dearest Naoya, I’m so happy to be your pawn in your stupid revenge fantasy! Please, how could I ever repay you? Shall I submit? Beg? Grovel? Would you like me to fetch the whip, Master, or would you rather have me collared?”

Naoya struck him across the face.

There was neither anger or surprise in those cold red eyes as he rubbed the mark forming on his face. He regarded Naoya with a disturbing serenity. “You hold no power over me. There is no misguided God to protect you with His blessings or His curses.” He spread his wings, pure white feathers, cleaner than any angel could manage. From tip to tip, they spanned the width of the room and then some, folding against the walls that prevented them from stretching out fully. “This time when you die, Cain, there will be no coming back. And when you cross into what lies beyond death, your real brother will be waiting. I’m sure he has plenty to say to you.” He smiled with reptilian slowness. With the same cold deliberation, his pale hands folded over Naoya’s throat.

“Kazu—”

“Hush, dearest cousin. Before I send you on your way, you and I have a few things to… catch up on.”


End file.
